Tararua TV widens reach

Last updated 11:56 02/05/2008

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It took a year, $130,000 and a couple of small miracles, but with a snip of red tape Tararua Television was relaunched in Pahiatua yesterday.

The fledgling television station, which began in an egg-carton lined room in the depths of Tararua College, is now a regional station - with the ability to beam into 200,000 homes throughout the Manawatu.

For the past four years, Tararua TV has been on air 24-hours a day in Pahiatua and Woodville, to an audience of about 5000.

This viewership will now include Palmerston North, Foxton, Bulls, Marton, Feilding and Ashhurst.

During the past year, local businesses, community members and backers of the station have pooled time and resources to build an 18-metre television tower at Wharite for increased reception.

At a ceremony yesterday, Tararua Mayor Maureen Reynolds said she couldn't wait to see what programmes would be beamed into the living rooms of households in the region. "It's going to be tremendous, it really, really is."

Ms Reynolds herself appears on Tararua TV to broadcast council messages, and has even donned an apron to feature baking a batch of caramel scones in chief executive Hart Udy's kitchen.

Mr Udy said the station crew is passionate, and takes the responsibility of broadcasting seriously. "What a privilege it is for me and my wife, in our senior years, to be involved in such a challenge - and what a pleasure it is to be invited into people's homes every day of the week.

"It's been a very emotional day."

The station's programmes are based around family and Christian values. Staff , would love hear from anyone keen to get into broadcasting, Mr Udy said.